From the Research
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a group of conditions that can occur in a person whose mother consumed alcohol during pregnancy, resulting in a range of physical, mental, behavioral, and learning disabilities with lifelong impacts. FASD encompasses several diagnoses, including Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), partial FAS, Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder, and Alcohol-Related Birth Defects. Symptoms vary widely but may include abnormal facial features, small head size, shorter-than-average height, low body weight, poor coordination, hyperactive behavior, difficulty with attention, poor memory, learning disabilities, speech and language delays, intellectual disability, poor reasoning and judgment skills, sleep and sucking problems in infancy, vision or hearing problems, and problems with the heart, kidneys, or bones 1.
Key Characteristics of FASD
- FASD is completely preventable by avoiding alcohol consumption during pregnancy, as there is no known safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy 2
- The alcohol in the mother's blood passes to the baby through the umbilical cord, damaging the developing brain and other organs
- Early diagnosis and intervention services can improve outcomes for affected individuals 3
- Individuals with FASD have impairments in adaptive functioning relative to alcohol nonexposed and ADHD groups, regardless of IQ, executive functioning, or age 1
Prevention and Intervention
- Avoiding alcohol consumption during pregnancy is the most effective way to prevent FASD 2
- Early recognition, diagnosis, and therapy for any condition along the FASD continuum can result in improved outcomes 2
- Neurocognitive and behavioral problems resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure are lifelong, emphasizing the need for long-term support and intervention 2